HIMprov II : The Video Experience.

Ian, one of our camera guys, edited this really wonderful, raw video of the latest HIMprov performance. (Embedded viewers are at the bottom of this post.)

Some things you should know, before watching it...

First, it's bad improv. It's meant to be bad improv. Performed by the most dull, unimaginative people that we could conjure up. So, know that going in!
And enjoy the AMAZINGLY subtle performances that the group puts forward. There's a deep, abiding discomfort for all of the characters that's really wonderful to watch. Very subtle performances.

Second, my introduction as Pastor Bob, is meant to be the antithesis of improv show openings. It's boring, overly-long, and has these "jokes" sprinkled within that are not very funny. That's how Bob hosts. Sure, it's meant to be masturbatory. (For Bob. Not for me.)

Third, the tape fails to capture the abiding discomfort that the audience felt throughout the performance. It's Conflict-prov, meant to afect the audience in a way that they're not used to being affected emotionally. It's not a "laugh-riot" and by it's very nature, never CAN be one. But as quiet as they sound on the tape, we had that audience enthralled from start to finish. And they went NUTS when the show was over. The tape fades out, but they were cheering for the show, after it was over.

Fourth, at the beginning of the tape, the introduction dies out and nothing happens. For 32 seconds, the audience is left alone, unattended and un-entertained. Because we were busy in the wings, visible to the audience, praying.
Consequently, we cheerfully take the stage to absolute silence. They don't know if they're supposed to clap for us or not. And some of them are probably a little bit angry that the show has begun on a sour note.
Which makes my opening of "Thank Yeeeeeeeew" to a silence, hostile audience THAT MUCH FUNNIER.
(All of that was intentional, by the way. All part of the show.)

Fifth, the black audience member is also a plant.
His name is Parrish Morgan and he is a member of our little theater troupe. In our first show, back in January, Parrish played Jeremiah Washington, a very nice, smart young man who was tapped to play with this troupe. He figured out, half way through the show that they're all racists and genuinely don't like him or are scared of him and "quit" the show, in the middle of the last performance.
We love Parrish. We don't want his quitting the troupe to end his involvement with the shows. So, we developed a plotline for Jeremiah, that the audience will see played out, from show to show. He has become the "Ghost of Failures Past" for this little improv troupe. Always present in the front row, glowering, reminding them of how they screwed up in the past.
In THIS show, he surprised the troupe by showing up for their show and when his anger gets to be TOO MUCH for him, gets up and acts out at the show. It's him who puts the final shot down on Pastor Bob. Giving us our surprise ending.

There are some really funny moments on that tape.

I like John and Dave's Pornography scene. Looks to me, like an afterschool special.

I LOVE Erin Carr's heart-breaking portrayal of Tammy. She's a poor, wreck of a person. And how horrible is it that she's been ambushed by this terrible, terrible show. Erin evokes a real sense of Tammy's shame and anger. Another brilliant performance.

I also love the image of Ted, being drug out of the theater in his underwear. A BRILLIANT move by John, that left us with an indelible image. (We had a different exit planned for Ted, but I forgot about it and John brilliantly covered for us.)

The wrassling moment, when Ted is all over me, is also pretty great. Just what I wanted it to look like, a big, nearly naked man, clambering over a helpless, uptight, conservative relgious minister.

The cameras angles are very "rock concert" feelings. In that they are all over the place. Ed's camera is the pretty steady one. Ian's is literally all over the place, but he catches some really wonderful moments, like Ted boozing up backstage. Edited together, it gives you the same feeling of discomfort that you would've gotten from the show. Constantly shifting your attention from the "bad" improv onstage, to Ted and Tammy in the audience, to Jeremiah and me, downstage left.

I call it a VERY sucessful show.

We decided, after the show, that we're doing a show for EACH plotline of the individual characters. I don't want to drop too many details here, but there are some exciting plotlines for each character, which are hinted at, in every show. Each character will get a show where they step forward and confront their personal demons, under the spotlight of these little improv shows, in front of a paying audience, when the pressure is on!

We're also adding two more cameras for the next show, making it a 4 shoot camera event. So the next video should be just as good. It should capture even more of the action from even more angles. I'll be sure to post it here, when it gets posted online.

In His Name,
Mr.B

Here's the Video Introduction, that John Jensen whipped up for us...



And here's the actual show itself (watch it all the way through, kiddies. There's surprises in the end of the show.)



Much thanks to Ian for camerawork and the editing job, to Ed for the camerawork and to John for the brilliant opening.